Sink or Swim
by NicoleVonDee
Summary: DEADLIEST CATCH: Dakota dresses up as a man and gets hired on the Cornelia Marie as the new greenhorn. Will she be able to keep up her disguise long enough to survive being a crab fisherman.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Coast Guard, the schools, or any other Deadliest Catch stuff. ENJOY!!!**

_A/N: Alright, this is a new story. I'm a little nervous for it, but with your support and ideas, I'm going to make this a great DC story. _

**Prologue – Grad School Applications**

_Dakota's Point of View_

It was that time of year again. I had to fill out applications for my internship to Princeton, Harvard and Yale—all of which were Ivy League. I had just graduated Northwestern University of Chicago Medical School, and I wanted to stretch my legs and work with the greatest doctors that $250,000 a year could pay you.

The applications weren't hard for me, however when the essay portion for every application I would draw a blank. All three of the schools asked the same question, probably to make it easier for admissions to accept and deny students. If I were the admissions counselor, I'd choose the students with the perfect last names. For example, Dr. Randall M.D. sounds perfect; hence I'd get into medical school without filling out these stupid essays.

_Who is the most prominent figure in your life? Why is this person so important to you? Describe your favorite memory of this person and why it has changed your life. _

I sighed and pushed my long plum hair out of my face. Most people would either write about Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama, their mom, FDR, Helen Keller or another figure whom they had zero knowledge of. Nope, not me.

I closed my icy grey eyes and began brainstorming about whom I would write my three essays about. Then, it hit me. _My dad. _I quickly began writing my essay.

My father is a Rescue Swimmer for the United States Coast Guard up in Kodiak, Alaska. I spent most summers and winters with him. My mom left him when I was only 14, her reason being that he was, "_A bigamist. He married me AND the Coast Guard._" I lived with my mom during the fall and spring, although that usually meant I only saw her on the occasional weekend due to my schedule at Northwestern.

Born with the name Mary Dakota Jacoby Randall, I was a daddy's girl through and through. He never called me Mary though. He always referred to me as Dakota. He hated the name Mary so he got to pick my middle name of Dakota Jacoby after my great grandfather. When I turned 18, I legally changed my name to Dakota Jacoby Randall, much to my mother's dismay.

My life revolved around the Kodiak Coast Guard Base, and after spending most of my life up there, I was well known. In fact, I was usually found in the aquatic arena or the command center. I learned the craft of being a commander in the booth without any real training. This skill came in handy when my dad needed help from the control center. My favorite part of being up in the Kodiak Base was the fact that all the new A-School gradates would come up every 18 weeks for active duty and try to tame the Bering Sea in the Coast Guard. All those new boys . . . I mean men to stare at and undress with my eyes. It was a game to me, and they were always looking to score with the local talent. Too bad this girl is more of a tease than relationship kind of girl.

But sadly this is not a story about my dad. This is about two very different men. One a fresh Coast Guard recruit named Jake Fischer, the other was Jake Harris, a deckhand on the Fishing Vessel Cornelia Marie. I'll never forget the year I worked on a crab boat while my dad taught at A-School for 18 weeks. It was the most memorable year of my life for it was full of love, adventure and heartbreak.


	2. New Greenhorn

**Disclaimer: See chapter one.**

**Chapter One – The New Greenhorn**

_Dakota's Point of View_

It was a balmy 50 degrees in Kodiak, Alaska on the morning of October 1st, 2008. I had just taken my first semester off after graduating medical school as of a month ago and I was already bored of Kodiak. My dad urged me to go back to school several times, because he feared I'd fall for a Coast Guard recruit.

So, this morning I decided to do something that little did I know was going to change my whole life. I packed up a large duffle bag with warm clothing, booze, and threw in a pillow in my 1965 Ford F-100 Pickup truck in gun metal black. It was my baby, because not only had I paid for it all by myself but I also had the original tape deck and the entire original interior leather seats. My dad had bought me a Candy Apple Red 2009 Range Rover for deciding to go to medical school, but I preferred to use the old truck.

I pulled on an old black coast guard hoodie, a pair of Dutch Harbor sweats and a Cubs baseball hat, carefully tucking in my long blonde and black undertone wavy hair so it looked like I had a buzz cut. I made sure to wear two sports bras today: one red one blue . . . Chicago Cubs colors. I tried to make myself look more like a man than a woman. I removed any sort of traces of eyeliner and scrubbed my face with some dirt. I looked like a trucker that hadn't showered in days. _Perfect, _I thought.

With the truck in gear, the radio blasting Journey, and my Dior sunglasses on, I pulled out of the driveway and made my way to Dutch Harbor. I was about to make the best and worst decision of my life. Three hours, two big gulp blue raspberry slurpies and one bathroom break later I arrived at Dutch Harbor. I quickly pulled into the parking lot of the Elbow Room and with a quick look in the mirror and a small practice session of lowering my voice; I turned off the truck and ran inside.

The Elbow Room was full of smoke, laughter and old pictures of skippers and their crews. It felt like I was walking right into history, and couldn't help myself but gawk at the staring eyes in the frames in my direction.

"Oh no," A deep voice filled my ears. "Another greenhorn looking for work."

I turned around to see who was calling me out and saw a brunette bearded man surrounded by a pretty brunette female and two other men: one black short hair and a thin beard while the other had a dirty blonde mess of hair sticking up in all directions.

"Who says I'm looking for work?" I murmured and walked closer, praying to God they didn't suspect I was a woman.

"The puppy dog eyes and the sweats," The pretty brunette smiled warmly and patted the seat next to her. "Take a seat greenhorn."

I sat next to the brunette girl and smiled while she offered her hand, "I'm Toby Jones, deckhand for the Northwestern." I shook her hand like a man and let go quickly.

She then pointed to the man sitting next to me and said, "That's Jake Anderson another deckhand for the Northwestern, not to be confused with Jake Harris the deckhand from the Cornelia Marie." The mess of hair nodded a smile. "Josh Harris a deckhand from the Cornelia Marie, Jake's older brother," She added and pointed to the black haired man. He was cute for a crab fisherman. "And this hottie next to me is Edgar, deck boss for the Northwestern." The man next to her smiled and she spoke again. "He's got my whole heart." I nodded in his direction and smiled. "And you are?" She quickly asked.

"I'm," I said in my normal voice but quickly coughed and lowered my voice, "I'm Dakota Jacoby." I said my first and middle name, not daring to say my last name for fear of being recognized as Ben Randall's kid. "But please call me Kota."

"So, Kota," The man named Josh questioned and looked directly at me. "Have you ever fished the Bering Sea?"

I thought about the wording of my answer. Yes, I've fished the Bering Sea, but not for fish or crab. I helped fish out drowning victims from the sea, thanks to my dad.

"You could say that," I mused and thought back on the several saves I'd made with the help of my dad. "I'd like to call myself a fisher of men."

I had forgotten for one minute that I was pretending to be a guy and quickly corrected myself, "I was a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer based in Kodiak." I half lied.

"No, shit!" Jake Anderson retorted. "Well then, hell, you know what it's like out there."

"Yeah, its one thing to be a greenhorn with no experience, but being a greenhorn that was in the Coast Guard is an entirely different story." Edgar muttered and called to the bar. "Get this guy a beer, on me!"

The waitress came rushing over immediately and placed a Bud Light in front of me and I took a long and hard sip of it. The bubbles itched my throat a bit, but I was glad for anything to distract them from my fluctuating voice.

"So, you're looking for work then?" Edgar questioned while putting his arm around Toby.

"Yeah," I paused and took another sip of the Bud Light. "I don't take up much space and I'm a great cook."

"Don't you need a new deckhand on the 'Marie," Jake Anderson looked at Josh and questioned.

"Actually we do, and my dad only hires people with at least six months of experience. I'm sure the Coast Guard is experience enough," Josh replied and turned to me. "I'll go talk to my dad, see what he says."

Josh left the table with his beer in hand and walked over to an area of the Elbow Room marked _Captain's Quarters_. He sat down next to a husky looking man and I turned my attention back to the table as they began interrogating me.

"So, how old are you?" Jake muttered and took a sip of what looked like coffee.

"I'm 21," I smirked and added. "Born, bred and water fed. Hoo rah!"

"Any other qualifications we should know about?" Edgar questioned.

"Well, I'm a med student," I muttered quietly. "Graduated a month ago. Now just looking for a place to take my two year internship and then apply for my residency as a full time doctor."

The three of them sat there with their mouths open and eyes wide. I tried my best to hide the blush in my cheeks.

"So, if you tell Captain Phil that, he'll hire you on the spot," Edgar insisted and added. "As long as you work hard, you'll be fine."

I took another long sip from my Bud Light. I felt Toby's eyes on me the entire time and I held my breath when she spoke.

"How old did you say you were?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"21, ma'am," I replied in a low husky voice.

"Oh," She paused. "Its just look you very fragile for being in the prime of your manly youth."

I forgot to breathe and I thought the heist was up. I thought for sure she knew and I was over. My plan of pissing off my dad and becoming a crab fisherman was ending as soon as it started.

"Got that from my mom," I chuckled nervously and prayed silently for delivery.

"KOTA!" Josh's voice filled my ears and I quickly turned around to find Josh waving me down to follow him to the _Captain's Quarters_.

I slid out of my seat and nodded a quick goodbye while snaking my way through the Elbow Room and slipping into the booth with several older looking men.

"Kota, my dad is the Captain for the Cornelia Marie," Josh said proudly and I couldn't help but salute his dad on instinct. "Dad, this is Dakota. Kota, this is Captain Phil."

"Sir," I muttered and saluted him quickly. "Sorry, that's just out of habit."

"Don't worry about it, it's definitely different from the greetings from Ding and Dong, that's for damn sure." Phil laughed in this throat.

"Ding and Dong, sir?" I questioned quickly.

"Me and Jake," Josh replied in his father's stead.

"So Dakota," Phil paused while taking a sip of his beer. "Why don't you give me a little job history?"

"Well," I lied. "I worked as a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer for the Kodiak base, and I graduated Northwestern School of Medicine in Chicago a month ago. I'm a fast learner and don't have to be told things more than once." I paused. "The Coast Guard taught me that."

"Pretty impressive for a greenhorn," A blonde haired man interrupted. "I'd hire him." The man paused and looked in my direction before outstretching his hand. "Sig Hansen, Captain of the Northwestern."

"Oh right," I muttered and shook his hand. "I met some of your deckhands at the other table. Toby is a pretty one," I added for dramatic effect.

Sig simply nodded and I let go of his hand quickly, while replying, "Also, I'm a great cook and I don't take up much room. I've only got a duffle bag and a pillow."

"Sounds like a winner, dad," Josh added in my favor.

"Well," Sig stood up and adjusted his belt. "I'd better go and get okayed to leave by the Fish and Game Department. It was good to meet you, Dakota."

I quickly saluted Sig out of habit again and Phil interjected, "I'll hire you on one condition. No more of that saluting shit. It makes me feel like an old man."

I wanted to scream and dance around the Elbow Room, but I refrained and cracked a small smile while replying, "Sure, Captain. Thanks for the opportunity."

"I'm giving you one shot, man. You blow it, you're shit outta luck." Phil replied with a smile and shook my hand. "Welcome aboard the Cornelia Marie. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to follow Sig and get the Marie crab ready."

Phil left in a hurry and Josh replied, "My dad lives for that boat. He'll probably be buried in the floorboards of the wheelhouse."

Josh finished off his beer and spoke, "So I suppose I should show you where you'll be living for the next month."

I simply nodded and followed Josh out of the Elbow Room, but not before a round of congrats from Jake Anderson, Edgar and his woman Toby. With a nod from Josh and a final knuckle punch from Jake Anderson, I left the warm elbow room and walked to my truck.

Josh took one look at my antique truck and chuckled, "This is beautiful. Bad ass style."

I laughed and grabbed my duffle bag and pillow only to begin the short trek to the Cornelia Marie. With a quick blown kiss to my truck, I left behind the Elbow Room. It was only a five minute walk to the Cornelia Marie, but all the while I was trying not to be flirty. It took much more effort than I really had expected. This Josh kid was good looking and if his brother looked anything like it I might have much more trouble keeping my disguise up.

"So," Josh muttered breaking the silence between us. "I'm going to warn you now. The second we leave Dutch, I can't be this nice to you. It'll look bad on my part, and as always greenhorns get pranked like it's their job."

"I'm tough enough," I hissed and then added. "I'm not a girl or anything. I can take it."

"I just wanted to let you know." He replied and quickly added. "Here she is."

We stopped aside the most beautiful fishing vessel I've ever seen. It was turquoise and the wording was sunshine yellow. I actually forgot to breathe it was that beautiful. The vessel was around 130 feet long and was pilled high with crab pots. It was incredible to be this up close and personal with a gorgeous boat.

"You planning to board the boat or just stare at it, greenhorn?" A man's voice pulled me from my self-induced trance.

I looked to see where the voice was coming from and my emerald greens met with his hazels and I almost died right there. I actually felt my heart stop beating. He was wearing a red baseball hat with his brown hoodie pulled up over his hat. He stood at least 6 feet tall which compared to my 5 foot three inch stature I felt quite short. I felt even more midget-like when standing next to six foot, two Josh. I couldn't help the blush setting fire to my cheeks and I had to turn around for fear of giving myself away. I actually felt butterflies blossoming in my stomach. I quickly stopped myself from going to the part of my brain reserved for being alone in the dark or in the shower.

"Dakota," Josh paused as I hopped onto the boat. "This is Josh. He'll be a dick to you your entire time as a greenhorn. Trust me."

Jake smirked and I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood. I would have trouble keeping my clothes on around him.

"Does it talk?" Jake muttered oddly and looked at Josh.

"Fuck off Jake," Josh chuckled and motioned for me to follow him while Jake watched us leave.

Josh took me on an amazing tour of the Cornelia Marie and I almost cried when I found out I'd be sharing a room with the brothers rather than the other deckhands: Corey, Murray and Freddy. This was going to be my ultimate demise. Sharing a room with two fucking hot as hell brothers, one of which I wouldn't mind tying up and taking full advantage of. It only took me a couple hours to get used to the huge vessel and try and rid my blush from Jake's evil smirks. That night I'd shower and have a little special Dakota time, as I liked to call it.

"Alright kiddies," Phil interrupted my thoughts at dinner in the galley. "Josh has first watch to get us to the fishing grounds or until midnight whichever comes first. Dakota, you are welcome to keep him company and make sure he doesn't fall asleep. You'll sleep for the next 6 hours after midnight until we get to the fishing grounds."

Everyone nodded a sleepy 'okay' and I checked my watch. _7:05pm_. Damn. _Only five more hours until the shower and Dakota time. _Josh lead me up to the wheelhouse and he took a seat in the Captain's chair. He looked good there, and my mind accidently wandered. For the first four and a half hours, Josh told me the entire history of the Cornelia Marie and how he got into the crabbing business. He spoke like a lifer, as my dad liked to say. _Once licked by the Bering Sea, you'll always be coming back for more._ We cracked a few jokes and thought out several pranks to play on Jake. It was extremely easy to get along with Josh, to my complete and utter surprise.

Around 11:30pm, I began counting down the seconds until I could get out of these clothes and fucking relieve myself from the building sexual arousal in my body. Suddenly a moan coming from the radio shook me from my thoughts.

"_Oh fuck, you can't do that while I'm sitting here trying to concentrate," Edgar's voice hissed over the radio. _

"_And why is that? Don't think I didn't see that look today. You know, the code look for – fuck me now-." Toby's voice purred._

I looked at Josh and was glad the wheelhouse was dark because I was blushing so hard. It was like, as if the crab gods were putting me through some sort of hazing technique. Several awkward minutes passed and then the radio bleeped again.

"_Toby, you have to be quieter. Sig could wake up, and find us fucking in his chair. He wouldn't be very happy at all." Edgar's voice murmured and a loud moan came over the radio. _

"_Happy Birthday baby," Toby moaned and you heard both of their climaxes in a war of moaning and groaning. _

I almost died in that wheelhouse sitting next to Josh hearing the baby making that was happening in the Northwestern's wheelhouse. Josh grabbed the speaker and spoke clearly into the hailer over the radio to the Northwestern's wheelhouse.

"I'm glad it's your birthday, Edgar, but can you tell Toby to get off the speaker button again. We heard the ending, um . . ." Josh paused. "Congrats."

Edgar's voice came over the radio and spoke, "I'm so sorry Josh. It won't happen again."

I looked at my watch and the moment the clock struck twelve, I ran out of the wheelhouse to wake up Phil for his watch. He smiled at the nice wakeup call and I left his room only to awkwardly bump into Josh and tried to hide the blush.

"Whoa, do you work out, dude?" Josh questioned quickly just as I was about to enter the bathroom.

"Why?" I retorted and quickly panicked.

"Your pecks are fucking hard," Josh gave me a weird look and I freaked.

"Uhh," I paused. "Yeah I worked out."

"Well, goodnight greenhorn," Josh smiled and nodded his head and entered the bedroom he shared with me and his brother.

I turned on the water and peeled off my clothing, both sports bras and my red underwear. With a quick check to make sure the water temperature was perfect I stepped in and quickly washed myself. My fingers snaked down between my thighs and finally I was able to release all the pent up arousal I had felt for Jake. Little did I know that Josh wasn't fully asleep.

"Oh Jake," I let a moan escape from my mouth as a rush of pleasure hit my body.

It wasn't until after they found out I was a girl did I find out Jake was listening. He had known the entire time, but he didn't let on about anything.


	3. WoMan Overboard!

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Coast Guard, the schools, or any other Deadliest Catch stuff. ENJOY!!!**

_A/N: Alright, this is a new story. I'm a little nervous for it, but with your support and ideas, I'm going to make this a great DC story. _

**Chapter Two – (Wo)Man Overboard!**

_Dakota's Point of View_

When I was abruptly woken up by a curious looking Josh the next morning at 8AM, I quickly pulled on my sweats over the boxers I used as sleeping clothes. _I had to look the part right? _I almost fainted when I saw Jake from the corner of my eye pull off his shirt and tiredly pull on a clean one. I have to physically tell myself to fucking relax and look away. Luckily he didn't see me staring or else I would have a lot explaining to do. I had slept with my Cubs hat on for fear of my long 2-tone hair giving me away.

I left Jake to dress and went into the kitchen to fill my mug with coffee and cream. Josh was cooking eggs and bacon for breakfast.

"So, greenhorn," Josh said quietly just so I could hear as I piled my plate high with bacon. "How was the first shower of the season?"

My breath caught in my throat and I gulped hard, "It was fine."

He looked at me with an evil smirk and replied, "Oh really?"

I shot him a look of terror. _Had he heard me last night? _I prayed to God that he didn't and left without answering him. Phil had taken a seat next to me while Murray was in the wheelhouse.

"Dakota," Phil muttered with a full mouth. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Why yes sir I did," I said with a rather proud smile.

"Good, because that's the last good night of sleep you'll get until the season is over. You're fucked from now on."

Freddy and Jake chuckled at this as I quickly ate my words. I was about to respond to Phil when something caught my eye. _Josh was staring right at me_. I gobbled down my bacon as fast as I could and left the Harris men in the kitchen to clean up the dishes.

With a quick trip to the bathroom to make sure I looked somewhat manly, I left to change into my raingear and go onto the deck. It felt to be about 40 degrees, and the winds westerly 30 mph. It was windy and I was in my own personal hell: One of the crew members knows I'm a girl I think, I'm madly in lust with the captain's son and I've got a bad feeling about today.

"Get to work on baiting, greenhorn," Jake commanded and I immediately made my way to the bait bin.

Josh was at my side, and I immediately fell silent. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

"So, tell me greenhorn," Josh broke the silence and the wind whistled loudly in my ear. "What's a person like you doing on a crab boat?"

I filled another bag with bait and replied slowly, "Proving a point."

I hadn't expected Josh to reply so quickly and it threw me off when he retorted, "What kind of point?"

I filled another bag and tied it off and chose my words wisely, "That I'm not a kid anymore."

"You sure don't look like a kid," Josh paused and filled another bag. "You have a more . . . effeminate look."

My hands froze and I forgot to breathe, "Yeah, I get that all the time. Is that Freddy calling me?"

I quickly left the bait bin area and walked towards Freddy who was untying the pots so we could load them with bait and send them into the Bering Sea to soak for up to 15 hours.

"Can I help, please?" I pleaded and added. "I can untie the side ties. I'm smaller than you or even Jake," I pointed to Jake who was standing next to me. "I can climb on the side of the pots, no big deal."

"Alright greenhorn," Freddy agreed. "But be careful, it's getting really restless out here."

I looked out at the vast Bering Sea that was getting angrier and angrier by each second.

"It's Her way of welcoming you to the crew," Jake muttered with a smile that almost made me melt.

By Her, he meant the Bering Sea. _Jake sounded like his dad so much_.

"Yeah, just the first set of pots right?" I asked quickly and got a nod from Freddy.

After a look back to the wheelhouse and an okay from the captain, I jumped on the pots and began climbing until I got to the top. I felt like a spider as I clung to the side of the pots without the safety of the deck below me. Nope, just the angry waters of the Bering Sea. I had totally forgotten to tie a line around my slim waist and was regretting it at that point. It was easy to navigate around the stacked pots and untie them. I felt Jake's eyes on me the entire time and I couldn't help but blush as we exchanged a little banter. I tried my best not to flirt, but I couldn't stop it, with him, it was animal instinct.

"Hustle, greenhorn!" He chuckled. "My grandmother is faster than you."

"Yeah right," I replied with a smile and coughed to lower my voice. "I'm faster than Wonder Wom . . . Superman," I corrected quickly.

Jake smiled and replied, "Yeah right. Where's the speed of lightning now?"

"It's the speed of light, silly," I called over the loud wind.

_I was so fucked. He made me want to rip this disguise off and jump on him. _It took me about 6 hours to untie the first two rows of pots and the entire time Jake was pulling his "boss card" and bossing me around, but at the same time, he would pause awkwardly and them mutter something about Bering Sea Dementia. And then I heard the comment that almost made me die.

"Bering Sea Dementia is already fucking with my brain. I keep thinking you're a chick." Jake laughed and Freddy chuckled. _Oh, if they only knew._

As I untied the first pot of the third row the only thing that was heard was Phil's voice over the hailer, _Watch out! Watch out!_ And then I felt the wall of water pull me from clutching the pot with my fingertips. My hat fell off and my wavy long blonde hair with black undertone poured out all around me. The frozen liquid burned every fiber of my being. Water filled my throat and the only sort of breathing was done when I hit the surface for a mere 2 seconds. I felt my legs go numb and my brain burned and pleaded for deliverance. I knew what stage two hypothermia felt like thanks to training with my dad, but this was much colder than I had remembered. And then the water was gone. I was being hoisted up by my suspenders back up on the deck.

"HOLY SHIT!" Josh yelled as I was placed back on the deck and unhooked from the crane while my throat burned from coughing the sea water out of my throat.

Phil was screaming over the hailer, "Get him inside! SHIT!"

Jake and Josh did their best and pulled me inside and down to the galley. I don't remember much from this point only that the comfort of my frozen clothing was being ripped off from all directions. I saw Jake to my left and Josh to my right cutting off my rain gear and my hooded sweatshirt while my sopping wet hair laid in messy waves around my head. The moment my sweats came off and the hooded sweatshirt I was wearing was cut off I heard a huge gasp come from Jake as he saw my red sports bra and my hardened nipples poking through the material. I closed my eyes and started to cry. _This wasn't happening_. I was trying not to cry and yet my body began to feel numb and tired. I let my drowsy head roll to face Josh.

"I knew it!" Josh paused at looked at his somewhat horrified younger brother.

"Fucking go get dad, Josh!" Jake yelled and pulled away the torn wet sweats and hoodie. "NOW!"

Josh ran up to the wheelhouse and I heard Phil's heavy footsteps follow behind Josh's.

"What the fuck is this?!?" Phil yelled angrily but his mood did a 180 and his anger softened to concern. "Dakota is a girl?!?!?"

"Dakota," Josh nudged me. "Wake up! You cannot fall asleep."

I knew that, but I couldn't help it. My entire body ached for sleep. I ached to be warm.

I felt Phil bend down at my side and whisper in my ear, "Hunny, you can't fall asleep. You're going to have to open those pretty green eyes."

"How can you fucking be okay with this shit?" Josh retorted at this father.

"Fuck off Joshua, I'm the captain of the fishing vessel and you'll do as I say. This is not a time to loose your damned temper. Jake, go get every blanket you can find."

"What the fuck, old man? You're letting Horny Heffner here," Josh pointed to his brother Jake. "Watch her? She'll be pregnant before you dock at Dutch." He yelled back at his dad and I was able to sit up straight.

Phil bent down next to me and his wise ocean blues met my teary emerald greens, "I'm going to have to ask you to take those off."

I suppressed a sob and closed my eyes while holding up my numb arms.

Phil looked back at his eldest son and snarled, "Shut your fucking eyes."

He slowly slid off the wet sports bra and tossed it to the side while I pulled my arms over my chest and then laid back down and lifted my butt while he apologetically slid my cupcake printed underwear down off my hips, down over my thighs, down my claves and off of my feet. His eyes never left my open tear-filled ones. _This was pure humiliation at its finest_.

Phil helped me stand up. My legs were on fire and my naked body was frozen, but I couldn't move. I shivered and suppressed another sob.

"You're jacket," Phil commanded to his youngest son. "NOW!"

Jake's face flashed worry and concern as he pulled off the zip-up hoodie he was currently wearing and I had to hold on for dear life to Phil as he pulled it round my naked body. Josh handed Phil the blankets reluctantly while Phil pulled the blankets around me and ordered me to go into my sleeping quarters to lay down.

"You have to promise me you won't fall asleep," Phil pleaded as the dad inside him came out. "Jake here will keep you company. Anything you need, ask him."

"What about his money?" I managed to whisper out.

"He'll take a cut of my share." Phil replied warmly and walked me to my stateroom I shared with Josh and Jake.

Behind us, Jake nodded and sighed as he followed Phil and I into the stateroom. I could feel the anger radiating from the captain's son Josh and I was relieved to be away from him. Phil left for the wheelhouse the moment I laid down with the blankets thrown around my naked frozen body.

The awkward silence between Jake and I was deafening. In fact, the silence was so loud, I couldn't even hear the waves crashing on the bow of the Cornelia Marie. I couldn't stand the silence any longer so I spoke.

"Please don't hate me," I whispered with tears welling up in my eyes.

Several moments passed before he muttered, "I can't hate you, Dakota." His hazel eyes shifted to mine and he added. "You're too important."

I was about to reply to his first comment and then replied, "Wait, what? I am not important, just me."

"I was worried there for a second that I liked dudes," Jake chuckled awkwardly. "It a lot of relief that you're a girl." He smiled and I couldn't help but bite my bottom lip that was still blue from the cold.

"You have no idea how hard it's been to be a guy," I shivered and smiled. "You're just too damn hot for me to focus."

"That does explain a whole lot of staring and flirting and shit," He chuckled and squirmed in his chair across from my bunk.

"Can I ask you a favor?" I quickly spoke and shivered under the blankets.

"What's up?" He replied and adjusted his baseball cap on his head.

"If I let you lay next to me, to make sure I keep breathing, can I please take a little nap?" I muttered and wiped a stray piece of soaked hair from my eyes.

Jake smirked and chuckled, "Okay, but you can't die on me. The old man would kill me."

"I promise," I whispered and held up the blankets while Jake kicked off his boots and pulled off his second hoodie to reveal a white v-neck t-shirt. "Can you just do me one more quick favor before you lay down?"

"Yeah, sure," He smiled.

"Get me a new pair of panties." I blushed and pointed to my bag. "I heard what your brother said. I do not want to be pregnant before we dock at Dutch."

Jake laughed at this comment and replied while fishing through my duffle bag for new panties, "In my defense, you know you'd want it."

He pulled out a pair of zebra striped panties with an elastic lace waistband and smirked while handing me them.

"Don't you dare get any ideas, mister," I chuckled and pulled them on under the blankets. "Remember no getting pregnant before we dock."

Jake didn't miss a beat as he slid under the blankets next to me, his face inches from mine, "And what about after we dock?"

"You'll have to ask your dad," I laughed and snuggled into his muscular chest.


End file.
